Fallen Angels
by hotaru anne
Summary: It's not everyday someone drops into your window and beats the pulp out of a soldier. Logan has seen that, and is not surprised. Only that this girl was sent to him for a specific mission...*sorry, I can't think of a better summary*
1. She comes crashing through the window wh...

Title: Fallen Angels  
From series: Dark Angel  
Author: hotaru anne  
Email: silentsenshi@hotmail.com  
Date started: 01/31/2001  
Date accomplished: 04/16/2001  
Genre of fiction: science fiction/dark angel  
Major characters: Max Guevera, Logan Cale, Brin, Zack, Mugen Nagosaki, Lydecker, Madame x, Bling  
Summary: Manticore has created a new type of soldiers which even the X5 members can't beat. They lure Max, Brin and Zack out from hiding while Logan gets a visit from an unexpected visitor who could be the key to defeating this new army...  
Note: This is my first Dark Angel fic. I hope you enjoy it. I'm thinking of making sequel following this, so, hang tight!  
Timeline set on: Sometime between Season 1 and Season 2. ^^  
Disclaimer: None of these characters, or the show belong to me except for Mugen Nagosaki, her guardian (which is mentioned countless of times in the story and all those people who doesn't sound like part of the series. The rest belongs to the creators of Dark Angel and (I guess) Fox Network.   
  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  
  
Prologue  
  
They were crawling all over the place. The whole lot of them.  
She turned around slowly. She had to watch her back otherwise she just might be backstabbed. Hah. It was good to know she hadn't lost her sense of humour. Not yet, anyways. In a world like this, it was easy to lose a part of you. Especially in Seattle.  
Blast these military jarheads, she thought as she gripped the rifle she stole off a fallen soldier tightly. They're getting better by the second. If I haven't known, they probably are all genetically engineered or something! Thank goodness I'm in dark clothing.   
But that didn't exactly made her feel better. She was still rampaging about the perimeter of the military establishment of Manticore. They would probably be wondering what the hell a teenager like her was walking about the perimeters of a military establishment. Better yet, why was this strange teenager holding a rifle? Or maybe, why did that teenager just knock down a security GROPO from the back gate? Maybe they were philosophers, she didn't know. One thing was for sure; she had to know their capabilities.  
Too late. They knew their buddy at the back gate was down and now where on the hunt for someone. Maybe for one of the gifted children. They weren't really going to be expecting some teenager stalking about. A girl teenager with some trump cards up her sleeve.   
They're security is too tight, she thought as she started running down an alleyway. This is going to be tougher than I initially thought. Damn...so much for being smart.  
But that wasn't the last thing. Someone saw her. Some tall, tough dude. He shouted something, but she didn't pay attention to him for she had already dashed to a sprint. She didn't remember much about the layout of the outer districts, and now was certainly not the time to contemplate about, either.   
The guy pursuing her was ever inch as fast, but she knew she could outwit him. She had done it before. In a world of chaos and danger lurking, she had to learn to act smart. There was no more time for naive ness. This was it. The real world.   
Or what had become of the real world.   
She looked at her digital watch, a special watch given to her before she left to her mission. A rough outline of the city map was on it, as she squinted at it. A red dot flashed brilliantly at the upper part of her watch. Her destination.  
She looked back. She was still being pursued. Somehow, she had to lose him somewhere in the city before she reaches her destination. If not, she might blow the entire gig, and that would not be a wise thing to do. Plus, it would endanger those she had to meet up with. She couldn't allow that to happen. She had to fight this guy off.  
I have to make it, or die trying to reach...  
...Logan Cale.  
  
Chapter One  
"Anyone home?"  
Logan craned his neck, trying to get rid of the tension he could feel coming up from his spine as a young woman peered from the glass walls. Gosh, did she always have to look so...beautiful? he asked himself as he said, "Hey, Max."  
Max tipped her head and strode in. "Busy?" she asked.  
She was glaring at the computer screen. He smiled, obviously humiliated at the fact that he was almost always busy. He shrugged as he shut off the computer monitor, and said, "Not anymore."  
That brought a ghost of a smile on her lips.  
"So, what's up?"  
"Actually," she began, "I was going to talk to you about my next escapade. As you already know countless of times, I'm going to be trying to infiltrate my anti-Christ, right? Well, I thought, better yet, let me find my other siblings before blowing Lydecker once and for all. Everyone lives happily ever after."  
Logan frowned slightly, making her think again. "What about me?"  
She frowned too. "What about you?"  
"Oh, geez, don't tell me you're getting all selfish on me!" he cried with fake hurtfulness. "I was going to uncover the government's conspiracy, remember? Don't tell me you forgot already..." Seeing her sheepish look, he let himself ease up and say, "I was only joking. I'm sure you'll be able to kick his ass soon enough. But how do you know where to look, I mean..."  
"It's a big city, yaddy, yaddy, yaddy, yah, I know," she finished for him, leaning on the table and pouting. I wish she didn't have to pout like that, he thought. It makes her look like a puppy. She shrugged helplessly. "Mind you, though, it may be a big city, but I have the abilities of a cat."  
Right; she was genetically enhanced.   
He shrugged. "Okay. Okay. I give up already. You can go about searching for your siblings," he said, feeling like he had lost when there was no battle to be fought. He wheeled his way back to his computer. "Leave me here to sit, mope about and worry whether Lydecker's jarhead goofballs are after you."  
He made it look like she had hurt his feelings. Those made her mind sudden crouch over in guilt. I wish he didn't have to give me the hurtful expression, she thought guiltily. Now I feel totally human again. But not the good side, though. Seeing him sort of daze off made her push down her training and walk up to him. She bent down.  
"Who said I was leaving you behind?" she asked.  
He flinched. "C'mon, Max," he said sceptically. "You know I can't go about in the condition that I'm in. I'll just get in your way. As usual," he added sombrely as he turned away from her brown eyes. It was hurting his, with or without glasses.  
She took his hand. "You never are, Eyes Only. Never."  
That seemed to make him feel better. The moment would even be romantic if not the window crashed from outside.  
  
Max instinctively got to her feet to protect Logan, who wheeled slowly behind her. Charred glass was on his carpeted floor from the large window, and two bodies were on the floor, one clad in black and the other was in military garb.  
Max flinched inwardly. Military.  
The military guy groaned as the figure in clad black got to their feet, to reveal and young woman, long dark hair, almond eyes. Logan knew instantly that she was Asian, though she wasn't acting much like one. As soon as she reached her feet, the military man was on his as well.   
"What the hell---" the military guy asked. "You!" He pointed to the girl. "You're one of those genetically enhanced kids Colonel Lydecker is looking for! Smart move, busting one of our men, but you aren't getting away that easily!"  
The girl didn't respond except for a surprising kick that also freaked out the soldier. A blow to the chest. He stumbled back as she said, "Number one, I am not one of the gifted kids that that fool Lydecker decided to mess around with." She did another sidekick. "Number two, I already did." Another blow to the face this time.  
He stumbled back to the open window.  
She dazed back as she lifted the rifle from her back slung over to the soldier's bruised face. She did not flinch, which surprised both Max and Logan, as she gripped the rifle. "You were wrong to even try and stop me," she said coolly. "You shouldn't try fighting someone unless you know you can win."  
"You won't get away---"  
"I already have---"  
Logan wheeled beyond Max, much to her protest. "No, don't do it!"  
She turned. Her dark eyes pierced against his for a split second. He could see everything. She didn't want to do it, but she had to. She had no choice. In a way, she reminded him of Max. But in the fraction of the second, her head jolted as the powerful kick threw her to the glass wall with a bam.  
Max walked up to the soldier and launched a full assault, a sidekick to the left, a hook punch to the cheek, an apricot punch to the chin and an elbow to the belly. He slammed into a lampshade and slid backward, hitting the floor.  
Logan wheeled to the fallen girl. "Are you okay?" he asked.  
She nodded as she grimaced. Max was standing directly before her and the big glassy hole behind her. She noticed immediately that the officer was standing up now and was ready to attack Max full speed ahead. Without thinking, she charged, ignoring the pain to her belly, and slammed the officer full-speed.  
She caught her balance before the edge of the floor, but the GROPO unfortunately did not. He kept sliding back till he was mid-air. In a desperate attempt to fly, gravity caught him and he screamed high-pitched as he was pulled down to the earth. She didn't keep looking; she could already see the outcome.  
Max blinked at the girl. Who is she? she wondered. Could she be part of Manticore? No...Although she possesses the inertial speed and attack, she doesn't appear to be under control. Maybe she's another one of us from another group who escaped Lydecker. She took a glance at Logan. "You okay?"  
"Yah. Are you?"  
"No sweat." She turned back to the girl, who was now fiddling with the bullet pocket of the rifle she was holding. Max grimaced; that was state of the art, hi-tech rifles. Top of the line, only that military personnel can handle one. It was worth a lot of money...so why was this kid holding one? "Why was he after you?"  
The girl looked at her. Max suddenly felt a bit woozy. The way the girl looked at her was driving her nauseous, as if she were going into another attack of the seizures, only it wasn't hurting. She looked sort of afraid...no, doubtful of her capabilities, but yet she was bold enough to go through it all. She looked peculiar..."I did something that I wasn't supposed to be doing."  
Logan rode his way to where they stood. "Who are you?"  
She blinked, as if out of a trance. "Oh, I am terribly sorry about your window, Mr. Cale," she stammered, as if a child again. "I didn't mean to crash through like that. I'll make sure that it is repaired at once." With a shrug, she turned around.  
"Wait a minute!" Logan called, making her spin around coolly, gracefully. "Okay, you crash into my window, chased by a military officer, throw him out of my window, and you leave as if nothing really happened?"  
Leave it to Logan to get cynical, Max thought.  
"Pretty much."  
This girl can even it up, she thought, frowning.  
"Aren't you at least going to tell me your name?" he asked.   
She considered it, and it showed. Then, she turned away from his piercing blue eyes and faced Max. "Take care of him," she said simply but seriously. She then tipped her head, turned on her heel and looked down from the gaping hole. With a leap, she disappeared.  
Logan blinked as he looked up at Max. "What was that about?"  
"I don't know," she responded. "But I do know one thing...she knows something and she probably came here to tell us something, but she was obviously stopped. She'll come back again..."  



	2. I smell the blood of some big trouble...

Hey! here's the second chapter...sorry it's so short. R&R!  
  
Chapter Two  
"Take care of him."  
It was still in her head as she lay down silently on her bed, thinking the events through. This strange girl just jumps into Logan's window literally, fighting a military officer, carrying state-of-the-art rifle and not to mention to young to go around per say. Was she in Manticore at one point?  
"This is all too strange, Max, people jumping through my windows like that. Geez, now I have to figure out how to open my heater without the wind from outside sucking it all away!" Logan had complained with a frown fixed on his face.   
"Find a way," she had told him.   
She closed her eyes. She was trying to sleep for a while now, but she couldn't find peace. Her mind was still pondering on the bare thought of the following events that it made her restless and weary. I have a feeling that this isn't the end of this little event, she thought restlessly. I just hope Logan isn't freezing in his apartment right now.  
The thought of Logan huddling in the blankets due to the frosty wind outside coming through the gaping hole in his window amused her slightly. Poor guy, she thought. I hope he's okay...The thought still dominated in her mind. Okay, Max, you can stop thinking about him now. You have bigger things to worry about, like how you're going to work up in Jam Pony tomorrow.   
Without warning, the telephone rang.  
Hoping the call didn't wake her roommate, Kendra, she rolled out of her bed and grabbed the black cordless phone from the nightstand. I wonder who would be calling at this time of night, she thought. It's probably Logan, complaining his brains off about how cold it is, probably needing a soundboard...oh well, I don't mind. "Hello?"  
"He's in danger. You have to leave."  
What kind of sick joke is this? "Who is this?"  
"If you wish to save him, you have to leave him, now."  
Is this Zack? she wondered. No, it couldn't be. She wouldn't dare try to call her without raising suspicion from Manticore. They were already renegades. Who is this person? Was he trying to scare her? Perhaps a prank call? "What are you talking about?" she asked, swallowing dryly.   
"I think you know who I'm talking about."  
Ohmigosh, Logan, she realized. She then shook her head. No, this is just a prank call. Just click the off button...c'mon, Max, you can do it, she coaxed herself, clicking the phone shut and placing it back on the nightstand. By then, she had a cold sweat drenched on her.   
What the hell was that all about? she wondered as she lay back down on her bed. Logan isn't in trouble...unless you count the broken window. Besides, Manticore...Lydecker...is after my siblings, not Logan and me. As far as anyone is concerned, he isn't even in the scene of what's going on...so how could anyone find out? We've been so careful...he's been so careful. No...he isn't in trouble.  
Thinking that way, she drifted off to sleep.  
  
"Damn, we almost got her," Markham snickered in disgust as he threw the headset onto the table, on top of the clutter of papers and equipment set up in a disarray of wires and plugs. The personal jungle from hell.  
Behind him, Lydecker scoffed. Pathetic, he thought to himself bitterly. You try and order one of these goofballs to carry out a simple job and they can't even do it for whatever reason! Which obviously proves that you can never trust anyone for anything. "Quit complaining, Agent, and try another way of getting her out," he barked.  
Markham stiffened. "Yes, sir!"  
Lydecker furiously folded his arms across his chest, contemplating as the agent grumbled and set to work. Informants picked up that Max, one of his "children" from X5, within Manticore, was both an employee to some delivery place called Jam Pony, and an employee to a cyber journalist named Mr. Cale. Now, why would she be working for a cyber journalist such as Mr. Cale? he wondered.   
Nonetheless, he thought. This is the greatest way to infiltrate her out to where she's vulnerable. If my thoughts are correct, she's well affectionate of this journalist...she'll jump if he was in danger. So we make it look like he is...or will be, whatever it maybe. When she gets out of Seattle...bam! He grinned at his extraordinary wit. I'm such a genius...if only those jarheads up in the military could realize that too...  
Markham spewed a line of curses after some electricity bit him.  
He sighed. He had to fix this idiot up before he goes on the mission with him.  
  
"Long day, Mr. Cale?" Bling asked as he pushed Logan's wheelchair into his apartment.   
"More or less," Logan replied. "Meeting up with those doctors is like making me stay in a room filled with military guys for like, a week! They kept talking and talking while I kept nodding and nodding. It was stupid of me to do that, but I had to listen." He shrugged as he tossed his bag aside.  
"Are you going to go through with it?"  
Logan nodded.   
Bling sighed. "Well, I got to get going, Mr. Cale," he told him. "Have to do some things at my place before my wife comes home from her work. You know how she is when you don't have everything down." He winked as Logan grinned. "Well, got to go now. Later, sir."  
"Have fun," Logan hollered as the door shut.  
Alone again. Logan sighed as he wheeled to his living room. "Now, about that window..." He stopped mid-sentence as he gaped at the window where the gigantic hole was last night. It was already repaired, nice and new. No charred glass, or anything. Perfect.   
And standing by the window, was the girl from last night.  



	3. I know a lot of things, Mr. Cale...

Here's the third chapter. I hope you enjoy it. It ain't going nuts...not yet anyways. ^_~   
  
Chapter Three  
"What the...how...when...why..." Logan stammered.  
"I told you I would repair your window," she told him coolly, not looking up to face him, her eyes looking at the floor. In the sunlight that was streaming down, he could look at her clearly. Her hair was shoulder-length and very dark, down. She was dressed in black trousers, a loose white t-shirt in a gray jacket, and trainers. Unlike many of the people, she seemed to be living fine, maybe was even rich, like Logan. "And I repaired it."  
"And how did you get in to my apartment?" he asked.  
She shrugged. "I have my ways."  
That wasn't much of an answer, he thought. Oh well. Might as well get to the point now. "Okay, I guess I'll just get to the point," he said, wheeling over to the girl who was now leaning by a table. "You are the same girl from last night. Why are you here again?"  
She looked up for the first time since they met. Her intense dark eyes lashed out at Logan, at first, cool and calculating. Then, as he looked at her, her eyes began to show something else; was it loneliness? Or was it discomfort? She looked away. "I was sent here."  
Logan's heart skipped a beat. From who? Manticore? "From who?"  
"Somewhere," she replied distantly.   
That wasn't much of an answer, he said for the second time that day. "I sort of figured," he responded, hoping she would give him some answers because this was killing him. "Why were you sent here?"  
"For assistance."  
He blinked. "In what way?"  
She turned to face him. "Perhaps I should start at the beginning."  
"That would sound good."  
She stood up and walked to the window. The sun beamed down onto her face, making her squint. "I am here because I was told that you would be some sort of an assistance to me," she told him. "You see, I need to retrieve some files. It is important that I get it."  
He wheeled over. "What...kind of files?"  
"Very important files," she murmured.  
"How important?" he pressed.  
She glared down at him, making Logan suddenly feel very small compared to this young and quiet girl. "They sure weren't jokin' when they said you were a journalist," she mused, sighing heavily when she figured there was no way to go around the question. "They're genetic files about genetic manipulation, abstraction, anything in reference to DNA sequencing."  
Logan was taken aback. Genetic files? DNA sequencing? Who was this girl? How could she want to take some genetic files that were locked, stocked and put away by organizations such as Manticore themselves? He blinked. "G-Genetic files? Aren't you a little too young for this? I mean, no offence, but people are willing to die to get their hands on technology like that."  
"Technology that has been researched by dozens of fractions throughout the global village for the past decades," she said evenly. "Which means, technically, they don't have the right to hold information like that exclusively for them. Especially if those files happen to be the legacy from a past generation."  
"What are you talking about?"  
She swallowed dryly. "Before Manticore, before the entire apocalypse-stuff, there were organizations that were researching on the genetic strands," she explained. "And then all the stuff happened and the organization splinted off. The major part became what you know as Manticore, and the rest ran off to hiding or something. Most of the genetic information was locked up by Manticore to use to make what you would know as genetically enhanced, or possibly genetically engineered beings. Your friend last night, she was enhanced, wasn't she?"  
"How did you---" he began, bewildered.  
"Know?" she finished calmly. "I know a lot of things, Mr. Cale. By looking at someone, or observing someone, I can tell what kind of person he or she is." She breathed in. "Don't pay attention to me if I'm scaring you, but it's the truth. But anyways, as I was saying, I need those files back. Fast, before they decide to do something foolish. They don't understand what's in those files."  
She stopped, allowing the information to sink in. Logan's head was swimming with the information that was just given. How could a girl like her, young and quiet, would want such information? "Why do you need it so bad if you don't want anyone to use it?"  
"Because...it is."  
At that moment, he understood. "I think I'm going to have to pull some strings on this one," he replied shakily. "But given the time frame...it might take a while. On the meantime, I think you should chill on this and don't go around breaking windows."  
She blushed. "I said I was sorry."  
He tried to press a grin; to see the girl blush made him realize that she was human after all. "Nonetheless," he continued. "The Manticore personnel likes to keep their mouths shut so...well, it will take a while."  
The girl got up and started to stride to the door when she stopped and turned around to face Logan, who had turned around to face her. Their eyes met again, and she then said, "Thank you, Mr. Cale. I appreciate that." She turned around.  
Hang on, I need these questions answered. "Wait!"  
She turned around, calmly looking at him.   
He gulped. "You say you want to recover these files," he said slowly, "then why risk yourself? If whoever hired you wanted this information so badly…why risk their child?"  
He could've sworn he saw a glimmer of sorrow. "Because, Mr. Cale," she responded coolly, "it is."  
"Oh," he said. He must've sounded like an idiot.  
"Anything else?" she asked, to make up for the humiliation.  
"Uh, yah," he responded hotly. "When I find anything interesting, how do I contact you?" He fumbled his fingers, thinking, great, the whole world must be laughing at me. I mean, look at me! A cyber journalist in a wheelchair who can't even speak smoothly to a cool class like her without getting all hot and embarrassed. Geez...she must think I'm a total loser. Not that I would want to be, but....  
She handed him a piece of paper. "My number's there," she replied calmly, as if giving him his homework. "If..when...you find anything, you can call me up by that number. I have my phone on most of the time, so, feel free."  
"Um...one last thing."  
She sighed. "Okay," she replied, "what is it?"  
"When I talk to you...what do I call you?" he asked.  
She paused for a moment, as if she wanted to hide her name. Then she turned around, much to Logan's distress. But before actually stepping beyond the glass doors, she said, "Mugen. Call me...Mugen."  
  
"Honey, you don't look too good."  
Original Cindy looked at Max with a worried look on her face. She had every right to be; Max wasn't feeling too good. And it wasn't because of the seizures...she was simply too tired, even though she couldn't sleep. And because of the prank call, it also made her a bit jumpy.   
"I'm okay...don't worry," she responded weakly.   
"You may say you're okay, but you're face don't show it," Original Cindy pointed out, putting her hands on her hips. "Now, girl, you may be some Wonder Woman, but by the looks of it, you look like you're gonna go through some sort of seizure again."  
Max groaned. Sometimes, she wished Cindy didn't have to point out the fact that she was genetically altered or such. "I just had it rough last night, that's all," she told her nonchalantly.   
"Lemme guess, you're on yours right now, aren't you!" Original Cindy cried in realization, making Max blush with confusion and embarrassment as fellow co-workers passed by, looking strangely at the two girls. She slapped Max's shoulder and said, "Y'know what you need girl? One of those pills that calm down those nasty cramps..."  
"I think I'll pass," Max said softly.   
Normal approached the two, who were hanging by the bars. "Okay, you two," he said stiffly, "back to work you go."  
"I can, but Max can't," Original Cindy said abruptly. When Normal gave them a scrutinizing look, she leaned over and whispered to the ear that was free, "It's that time of month for her when she doesn't feel like herself and gets really bad cramps, y'know, so I think you better give the girl a break, okay?"  
Normal groaned. "Fine, fine. Max, get your sorry butt outta here before you decide to gross out the others," he said sardonically before stalking off.  
"He's in a happy mood," Max remarked.   
Sketchy and Herbal Thought approached the two girls. "Geez, the place is crawling with military," Sketchy was complaining. "I mean, can't they ever give us a break? Send them to China or something, just don't bother with my routes!"  
"What's goin on?" Original Cindy asked.  
Herbal scowled. "The downtown core is swarming with military hotshots searching for someone," he told them, "in connection to some assault on their base near here and the death of one of their officers stationed there. Funny thing is, they have no clue who they're looking for. Anyone suspicious, I suppose, but it's nuts."  
Could it be the girl? Max wondered. "I really have to go home now," Max told them dryly. "I mean, this cramp is starting to get to me. I think my stomach's lurching---"  
A few moments later, Max was on her motorcycle feeling fine and dandy since she was on her baby now. Herbal and Sketchy weren't joking when they said that the military was swarming here and there. Almost ever two blocks there were military personnel in their garb, checking their perimeter and interrogating the surrounding people nearby.   
This is crazy, she thought as she reached her home she shared with Kendra. She flopped on the couch, feeling nausea and a headache taking over her. This is weird, she thought. I rarely feel like this. This isn't no seizure coming...I think I just lacked some sleep.  
As she reached the washroom to grab some medicine, the phone rang. Annoyed, she rushed over, suddenly regretting it, and snapped up the receiver of the phone. "Hello?" she asked hoarsely.   
"You have to leave now."  
Ohmigosh, it's the same blasted call, she thought. "No."  
"You will put him in danger if you stay here."  
Am I? she wondered. "He understands the risks---"  
"If you care for him so, you will not hurt him. You must leave."  
She sulked, the receiver still to her ear. Was it true? If she stayed, was she endangering her friends around her, including Logan? She knew they were taking risks, but to lose someone, that was one hell of a risk. But if she were to lose him---  
C'mon, Max, you're there.  
Not all the time.  
I hate this, but you can't just run out on him.   
But you like the guy---it's a shame to lose someone as good-looking as him...  
She gulped. "I'm going." She hung up.   
  
"Logan."  
"Not right now," he told her.  
Max pouted. "It's important," she told him, like a five-year-old. He was pretty busy and it was important, it had to do with the information that the strange girl...Mugen...wanted. He just hoped that Max wasn't noticing the information. He replaced the screen quickly with another screen (gosh, he was good at that) and worked on his paper.   
He looked up, his blue eyes meeting hers. Oh, gosh, how she wanted to go up and embrace him, and never let go. But her mind was made up, and she couldn't bear to lose him. No, this would have to do. Now. Whether her heart will take it or not.  
Breathe, Max, breathe.  
Something was definitely wrong, and Logan to feel it. Just looking up into her eyes made him feel the connection. C'mon, her blood's in you, he coaxed. Geez, it's kind of obvious that you can sense some things out of the ordinary. But something was up. Something big. He could tell it in her eyes were sad. It pained him to see that.   
Breathe, Logan, breathe.  
"So...what's up?" he asked softly, carefully.   
She swallowed dust. This was already aching her, and she hadn't even said a single word yet. Already, she was already stricken and sick of the words. "Logan, I'm going to be away for a while," she told him dryly, twitching inwardly.  
Max...why? Logan blinked. What did she say? No, it can't be! He felt a pang of pain strike him through his heart. He wanted to reach out to her in the fairly close distance and plead for her not to go. Why, he'd do it for all eternity if it'll make her stay. But he had to keep things neutral. It would be just not like him. After all, they were already in shaky grounds. "W-Why?"  
Because, things are changing and I don't want you to get hurt amidst all this fighting, Logan. I want you to be safe. Like always. Like before you met me. She was holding back slightly, he could see a twitch in emotion. She was still getting used to having emotions, but somehow she was fighting them at the moment. "Things," she muttered. "I have things to deal with and stuff."  
"But, Max, Lydecker..."  
"Yah, I know, don't worry," she said hurriedly. "I won't be long. I can take care of myself. It's not that far off, but y'know, things can happen here and there, and when that time comes, I'll be ready." She was bumbling whatever she can think off, her inside voice telling her to scram before someone gets hurt. She was lying to someone she cared, something she didn't think she would ever do.   
But these were strange times.  
But what if you were all set but you do get hurt? Then what? Who's going to catch you when you fall? Why don't you want me to catch you? Logan gulped. He was fighting his emotions raw with every intestine he could manage with. Keep it platonic, Logan, he told himself harshly. It won't be too long. Right? He sighed, trying to calm his hormones and emotions low. "How long...will you be...gone?"  
I don't know, Logan. I don't know. "I'll be back before you know it," she assured half-heartedly, as much as she could possibly say. She then flashed a reassuring smile, wondering, Is this enough? How can a smile possibly keep someone from wondering otherwise?   
His eyes were downcast, but he nodded. "Okay."  
Dammit, Logan, why did you have to make me feel this way? she thought. But her heart was tugging hard. It was hurting. Conscience and heart began to collide as she leaned over and planted a soft kiss on his lips.   
Logan swallowed. Don't go. "You...better get going."  
I wish I could stay. "Yah."  
Before she could exchange more words, she stood up straight, and, looking at him helplessly one more time, she pivoted on her heel and left the room.   
Max...  



	4. All hell breaks loose...

here's the next chapter. i'm glad u enjoy this. this is the chapter where everything goes extremely nuts. i don't know anymore...anyways, enjoy the chapter! this is fairly short, so enjoy and read and review!  
  
Chapter Four  
Running.  
He was cornered on all fours. This was unbelievable.  
He cursed beneath his breath; for a former X5 member, he was getting out of shape around here. Being chased by a couple of Manticore guys should be no problem to him. Him, an X5, genetically engineered guy like him.   
Not unless these dudes had heavy artillery. Heavy, heavy artillery.  
Geez, this was such a shame. A talent put to waste.   
Gun fires. Muttered curses.  
He ran another corner; this was ridiculous. Here he was, a genetically engineered killing machine running around being chased by some jarheads from Manticore with some serious, heavy artillery that he had sort of encountered with.   
He gasped slightly; the gash on his arm was bleeding.   
I have to warn Max, he thought furiously as he ran another curve, trying to quicken his already-fast pace. This is serious stuff...how they got me pining down like that remains a mystery.  
A gunshot missed his head by fractions.  
Damn, enough contemplating, I've got some really nasty firepower behind me, he thought as he turned again.   
Dead end.  
"Oh, damn," he swore as he turned around. "It's show time."  
  
Ring!  
Cell phone.  
Max lifted the phone from her inside pocket of her black jacket as she sped down the street in her baby, her motorcycle. The cell phone was a late gift from Logan for all the things she had done for him. Keeping him in shape, keeping him in line, okay, maybe saving his sorry butt every now and then...  
What did I do for him?  
"Hello?" she asked at the receiver.  
"Max." Huffy breaths.  
Max frowned. This was another caller. She was hoping it was Logan again. To hear his voice again..."Who is this?"  
"Max...it's me...Zack."  
"Zack? Why...how...you know we weren't supposed to..."  
"Sorry, my fault." A pause. Ragged breathes. "I'm caught."  
"What?!"  
"They got me, Max," he said, which sounded slightly sincere. "They caught me...damn, I can't believe I'm saying this. They came outta nowhere...they hounded me down like a criminal...Max, this is crazy!...I don't know what they want...you gotta warn the others...Max..."  
She scowled as she ferociously skidded beside another car and then in front. "Zack, calm down! You're not making any sense!" She scowled again. This wasn't good. Zack, caught? Where was he? How was he caught? Was Lydecker getting smarter or what?  
"I can't calm down, Max!" A sudden thud, a sickening groan.   
"Zack!" she cried.  
"Max...you gotta...protect the others...Max, you got to!"  
The phone hung up.  
So much for one phone call.  
Max looked forward in the night sky, the city lights (or what was left from the Pulse) glistening like stars against the darkness of space. Two things popped into her mind; the eyes of all her siblings, and the electrifying blue eyes that belonged to Eyes Only.  
  
"You ready to go through with this, Mr. Cale?" Bling asked.  
Logan looked up at Bling. Medical personnel and visitors waiting with wounded or sick patients surrounded them. The white never changed in any hospital. It hurt his eyes.  
Max...  
"I'm okay, Bling," he told him confidently. "I'll be okay."  
"You sure, man?"  
No. "Yah, sure, no problem."  
Bling rolled his eyes. "If you say so, sir."  
Logan fumbled his fingers and turned to face the nurse who was coming over. After a fumbling series of curt orders and instructions, the nurse took Logan. Bling told him he'd be waiting. So Logan left to his operation.  
Bling sighed and sat down, relaxing his position.  
A few hours past.  
He didn't notice a girl approach him, in some rich schoolgirl's uniform, packed with the short-sleeved white blouse, dark-coloured kilt, black polished heels, wire glasses and long hair. She walked calmly up to Bling. "Um...sir?"  
"Yes?" he asked.  
She fumbled slightly. "Well," she said softly, calmly, a bit nervously, "maybe if it's okay...I'm sit and wait for him and you can go." She sighed, as if she just made a speech to the president.  
Bling frowned. "Do you know him or something? Why?"  
She twitched, as if she were uncomfortable. "Yes, I do know him," she replied meekly. "He's doing some research for me, and I found out that he was having an operation today, so I decided to drop by and wait for him. You have a family...don't you?"  
Bling was now confused. "How---?"  
"Don't you want to be with them right now?" she asked him coolly.  
He blinked again; actually he did. But how did the kid---  
"It's okay. I won't abandon him."  
"But he'll need a ride home after, and---"  
"It's all covered." She smiled partially.  
  
Footsteps. Gun shots.  
Max couldn't find any way to get out of this situation. In the outer districts, the Pulse severely bombed out the buildings. Everything was old and dirty, no places to hide except in the muck. Even with her enhanced capabilities, she could find no way to escape. No probability.  
Behind her, Brin was panting as she ran behind her "sibling".  
She sighed. Poor Brin. She shouldn't be in this mess. She was a good kid, a kid that shouldn't be going around being chased by Lydecker's men, or by Manticore anyhow.  
Things were always too late around here.  
Breathe, Max, breathe.  
"Are they still behind us?" Max asked.  
"Yes, five of them, armed," Brin responded breathlessly.   
All her suspicions were confirmed. It was as bad as it looked. Her guts were screaming Cul-de-sac! but her mind was telling her that it wouldn't work. She felt like tearing herself apart. I'm a soldier, I have all the training I can ever need, so why can't I think straight?!  
Electrifying blue eyes.  
Why can't I get Logan out of my head?!  
Brin was looking at her sister peculiar. She looked distressed. Confused. As if something was reaming out of her mind or sort. She seemed like she didn't know what to do. And this worried Brin. Sure she was younger and a little less buffed, but she could tell when someone was distressed.   
Poor sister, she thought. It's as though she's concerned of someone's safety...but it certainly aren't me.   
Another gunfire.  
Both girls ducked, then sprinted towards their right. They were in a bad zone...really bad. Max was still figuring out a plan to get them out of their backs.  
"Let's split," Max said huffily. "Full turn. Got the drift?"  
"Yes."  
At the next split of paths, Max sprinted left as Brin took the right path.  
Max met an obstacle of fallen beams, pipes and other stuff that didn't belong in the path. An idea sprung as she began to jump about the junkyard and kicking the heavy pipes to her back. They flew, and started raining pipes and beams.  
Okay, Max, you're getting the hang of it.  
But they were getting the hang of it. They were fast...extremely fast for an ordinary human being. They dodged every throw and continued to go towards her. Panicking, she continued to go around the mess, leaping over large objects. They did the same.  
Brin met something different. It was virtually swept clean. Only a couple of garbage cans were on the side, and a dumpster. About, beams of some kind of metal were connecting two broken-down buildings. Two guys were chasing her.   
Here goes nothin, she thought as she jumped up and reached out for the beam. Her feeble hands caught it as she began to swing her way over. To her complete shock, they did the same thing, and much faster than she initially thought.  
One of the guys leaped and grabbed Max.   
Let's see how good you really are...  



	5. 

sorry it's been a while. my server's down and i am patiently (well, trying to be patient anyways) to upload the rest of this DA fic. enjoy! don't forget to read and review!!!  
  
  
Chapter Five  
Angels.  
Am I dead? Logan asked himself.  
An angel was staring straight into his eyes. With glasses, white blouse with some embroidery, glasses, a thin and calm face, and long hair...  
Max....  
"Welcome back to the real world, Mr. Cale," came out of the perfect lips of the girl. "You aren't dead...not yet, anyways. I hope the operation wasn't all bad."  
Logan blinked again, then was taken in shock. He was in a hospital wardroom, on a bed, in hospital clothing, some monitor beeping beside him. And an Asian girl beside him..."M-Mugen? What the hell are you doing here? Where's Bling?"  
"Went home," she responded. "And I'm here."  
"What are you doing here?" he demanded.  
"To make sure you don't die," she responded tersely. "The operation was a success...you made it out alive. As for the results...we'll just have to wait a bit and see what happens."  
Logan sighed, blinking. "Max..." he mumbled.  
Her mouth twitched. "I thought she'd be here with you."  
"She had to go," he replied shortly. "Something important came up. Didn't need my concern. Figures...and I didn't even tell her of my operation. Crap. I guess I wanna surprise her..."  
Mugen's eyes went hard. "Something important? Did she say?"  
"Nothin'."  
Before he could say another word, Mugen fumbled in her knapsack and pulled out a slim silver object. A laptop---a really expensive one, too. Some clicks and she was on. Logan couldn't see what she was doing for she was typing really fast and the back of the monitor was facing him, so he sighed and leaned back again. But she was good---and fast. That scared him; after all, that made them equal.  
She looked dead serious. And grim. Back to the old face again.  
"What is it?" he asked softly.  
She swallowed dryly. "I have some contacts here and there," she responded tersely. "I also have access to telephone lines, cable lines, etc. Max Guevara...hmm...the last thing she did before coming to your place was picking up a phone call."  
"Who was it?"  
"It's...not even listed."  
Logan didn't like where this was going. Questions popped up randomly in his head. Who was it? What did he or she wanted with Max? Was there any connection to Max's urgent dismissal? Is Max okay? He blinked; he had to remain calm and in control. He didn't want to bust a nerve...especially in the leg. He breathed in. "Can you trace it?"  
"I can try," she said, a bit distant. She was already typing.  
Minutes passed. Tension passed.  
"I think I got the signal," she finally replied tersely.  
"I think?" he echoed.  
She darted a deadly glare at him. He sort of got the message as she calmed her gaze and said, "Okay. Well, the lines seemed to be encrypted...whoever called her was pretty damn good at what they do. I've been able to crack the forsaken code---"  
"Waitaminute, what kind of code is it?" he asked.  
She looked at him, perplexed. "Why, military."  
He blinked at her. "Are you telling me that you can crack even the toughest military codes?"   
She shrugged casually. "I don't know," she responded coolly. "I mean, I did hack into a military line on my way here...got info on what's going on here in Seattle, and I did catch on to some encryption stuff when I got some utensils for the journey in some really tight-up security military station...why?"  
"Gosh! I never thought I'd run into some who does that!"  
She shrugged again, colouring visually. "I do have an art for it." She turned back to her screen. "Anyways, as I was saying, I hacked into the code encrypting the entire line. The source of the message is some kind of facility...oh, shoot."  
"What?"  
"Damn, that's the facility I scouted about last night."  
"You what?!" he shouted.  
"It's part of my mission," she explained quickly to cover up for the mistake. "I always check the perimeters of what would be in my mission. Anyways, it is from that facility. I'm bringing up a full-scale map now of the area...hmm...basement sector...communications room. This isn't good. There's cells in this facility..."  
"Damn! Manticore!" Logan watched her expression carefully. They sharpened intensely as her eyes narrowed, a scowl forming on her full lips. Logan was suddenly gripped with fear; what was up with that?   
"Manticore..." she growled. "I should've known---damn! Why didn't I think of this before?!"  
"What are you talking about?"  
She sighed heavily. "I should've thought of this from the beginning," she said glumly. "Why would there be a facility at the outer districts? Guarded by armed jarheads with sheer determination that is absolutely undefined---oh, I should have never taken this mission---"  
"So why did you?"  
She shrugged. "I needed the files..."  
"Ms. Nagosaki?" the nurse asked from behind.  
"Yes?"  
"You wanted the information," she said curtly, handing Mugen a acetate slip of paper. "Dr. Carr will come in shortly to check up on Mr. Cale. If you'd excuse me..."  
"Thank you, ma'am."  
Logan gestured to the acetate. "What's that?"  
She lifted the acetate slip up. "Wha---this? Nothin out of the ordinary...just checking if you're gonna survive beyond the hospital doors," she responded crisply.   
He rolled his eyes, agitated. "Gee, thanks for your concern."  
Dr. Carr entered the room before Mugen could win back a quip. He gracefully went to Logan's side, without any hesitation or hello. "Mr. Cale," he said curtly, professionally. "How do you feel?"  
"Fine. I feel...great."  
"That's good," Dr. Carr responded, obviously pleased.  
Mugen rolled her eyes at the patient sweet talk. "Okay, okay," she said impatiently. "If he's all fine and dandy...which you can't prove until you can test if it really works."  
"How's that?" Dr. Carr asked patiently.  
"Easy." She lifted her hand and suddenly whipped it down to where Logan's legs were. It was a hard whip, but she ignored the throb of pain running up her fingers.   
"Ouch!" Logan shouted in pain.  
She smiled slyly. "Okay, mission accomplished, Doc. He's fine."  
Dr. Carr turned pale while Logan massaged his leg. Felt real. Crazy kid, Logan thought to himself. She's got to be absolutely nuts to actually hit me like that at a time like this...though it did feel real. And it certainly hurt like hell! He frowned. "Next time, Mugen, give me a warning, alright?"  
"No praw" was her response.  
Dr. Carr looked positively anguished. "Um, well," he stammered. "I'd like to have Mr. Cale stay here overnight, to make sure he is...er, fit to go on his feet and do whatever he feels like. In the meantime, I suggest you run along home...er...kid."  
A flash of annoyance flickered across her face as she tried hard not to say anything as she stood to her feet. "My name is Mugen Nagosaki, Dr. Carr," she said curtly, no annoyance in her voice at all. "I go to the Guardian Angel Private High School downtown and have known Mr. Cale for some quite time." She handed Dr. Carr a flimsy note. "There is my phone number if you need to contact me, Doc. Arigatou..." She pivoted on her heel and left swiftly.   
Dr. Carr faced Logan.  
Logan raised his hands. "She's a weird one...that kid."  
Indeed.  
  
Was she dead?  
No, she could still feel her heartbeat.  
But she doesn't require sleep…  
Max opened her eyes slowly to find herself in a dark cell. She fought to stay awake as she tried to get off the bunker where she was thrown. She was surprised to find herself unable to move. She twitched, jerked her muscles, only to see that she was immobilized.   
"Like my trick, huh?"  
Max's head snapped about to see Lydecker standing by the bars.  
"You son of a---" She tried to get up.  
Lydecker shook his head. "Uh-uh, don't try that," he warned in a teasing voice, his eyes dead serious. Max let out a cry of frustration and remained still. "You see, Max, I have injected you with something new called a muscle stimulant that slows down blood flow to your muscles till they're stiff. Nifty little dandy thing created by our scientists here, in Manticore."  
"You're sick," she spat from her position.   
Lydecker didn't look moved as he scoffed and turned to the guards, then back at Max. "Oh well, I have you back now," he said curtly. "You, Brin and Zack---heh, funny. You got Brin out of here a few months ago, and what happens? She's back here again. As for Zack---however did you persuade him to come back?"  
"It's none of your business."  
He raised his brow. "Oh, really?" He shook his head again, like the arrogant bastard he was. He then looked at Max carefully, his face a mask of earnestly. Max ignored the mask. "Max---you still don't understand, do you?"  
"What is there to understand? You're a filthy, self-serving bastard who uses us as pawns in a game. You're sick." Max tried hard not to groan as she rested back, trying to feel a weak spot on the restraints. Damn, she thought in her mind, they're getting better everyday. "So---who were those goons you sent after us?" she said as casually as she could. "Enhanced genetic soldiers? Or extremely trained ordinary people?" The last words came out as a hiss.   
"Not as dramatic," he responded thinly, his military training definitely familiarized there. "They're a new series of soldiers, genetically created to do the duties, no independence, just orders. Known as the X10." When he saw Max's puzzled face, he explained, "We chose 10 because their twice as strong from you."  
This isn't good...she thought.  
"Enough chit chat," Lydecker snapped. "I must go now and talk to your "siblings". You'll be called in the morning to run some tests to see how screwed up your metabolism has gone since you left Manticore. I'll see you later..."  
No, her mind screamed. 


	6. 

here's the next installment. yes, mugen is pretty "weird" but you've got to agree she's pretty kool. ^_~ in this chapter, you sort of learn of her background as well of the devious things she does. and...you learn of what's going on with max in the captivity. r&r!  
  
Chapter Six  
"Mugen Nagosaki?" Logan cried incredulously as they entered his apartment. The doctor had handed him a cane to help him with the walking for now. But it was good to be up and about again. "You have such a long last name."  
"Runs in the family," she responded tersely and shortly as she shut the door and placed some paper bags onto the counter of his kitchen. "By the way, I bought you some things...your apartment is virtually ragged out with no food. A girl like me should have something to chow down on..."  
"Who said you were staying?" he demanded, suddenly on guard.  
She turned her bright eyes to him. "Oh, did I forget to mention that Bling went off to vacation with his family?" she asked innocently as she stashed away the food. "So you're going to be stuck with lil' ol' me for a while." She smiled; a short, brief smile tingled with sadness.   
Logan sighed. "Don't tell me, lemme guess who got him into that.."  
Suddenly, something started to sound. "Gomen," she muttered as she disappeared into the living room, then returned after a brief moment. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but...."  
"But what?" Logan asked, perplexed.  
"I have an under-cover agent inside Manticore," she explained abruptly, "and apparently he uncovered something deep. He found the area where your friend, Max, and her siblings are being kept. Unfortunately, there's even more bad news attached to this; they're being held for a series of, er, tests on their metabolism now."  
"Damn," Logan cursed, "Max…"  
Mugen squirmed, as if the whole thing was her fault. Logan suddenly regretted what he said. "I will meet up with my contact later on," she said shortly, "to discuss these recent developments. So I guess you'll have to cook dinner." She winked. "Besides, it's good to kick in to the old, boring things we people have to do when we walk."  
Logan ignored the final comment. "It's not safe, Mugen," he told her firmly. "The streets are crawling with pickpocketters and God-knows what sort of people. Besides, how do you know you can trust this guy anyhow? Maybe it's better if I---"  
"No," she interrupted. "You will compromise your position if you do so. Besides, you're not one hundred percent "all better" yet. You could collapse any moment from now, and then what? I will have to worry both about escaping myself and you without being in a casket!" She shook her head. "Too risky. Leave the risks to me."  
"Are you insane?! You're still a child!"  
"A child you can defend her from anything," she countered. "You can scream and rant and do whatever, but it won't change my mind. I will go up and see my contact whether you like it or not, and I will see what the hell is going on around here. I don't need a parent to tell me how I should discreet myself!"  
Silence. Logan and Mugen were staring at each other.  
Geez, she reminds me of Max, he thought. Too much. He remembered the time when he went to see Dr. Vertes, ex-Manticore doctor. Max wasn't too pleased, but she came to accept it. But Mugen seemed like someone who wouldn't accept it...maybe because she never met someone as vile and firm as himself.  
Damn, why can't I be nice for a change? Logan asked himself.  
Mugen sighed inwardly. There was no point yelling at this guy; he was a so-called contact. Her guardian briefed her before leaving to Seattle; he was a firm and stubborn man, the so-called "Eyes Only". She remembered reading his bio over once and placed mental notes in her mind about him. Pretty touchy for a guy who's experienced being in a wheelchair, she thought grumpily.   
"Look, I'm sorry," he began.  
"No, don't," she intervened. "It's just---aside from my guardian, I---I never had anyone who cared for me that much." She paused for a brief moment, and then recovered and said quickly, "My business is my business." She shrugged.  
Who is her guardian? Logan nodded silently.   
"It's okay that I go alone," she continued when she found the voice. "I just don't want more people to die. I've lost so many comrades and friends along the way---and in your current position--I can't afford to. You have your whole life ahead of you..."  
Logan got a brief memory of the handgun. "But you're..."  
"Just a child, Mr. Cale?" she finished wisely. She shook her head. "Not exactly. I've seen so much...I've lost so much." She shrugged and spun on her heel. "Just chill'ax. I'll be back before you can even say "Sayonara". We'll get her back, Mr. Cale, I promise."  
  
Max was dreaming. Or was she hallucinating?  
"Calm down, soldier," the doctor had said harshly as two assistants tried to hold Max down to the chair. "This won't hurt one bit...it'll be okay...try to relax..." He was treating her like a young child afraid of getting a needle.  
I will not get this examination! she thought. Oh, Logan....  
Max drifted off again to another hallucination.  
She was lying on the bunker, the ceiling very shaky from where she lay. She felt a throbbing pain in her head and a weakness passing over her body. She felt her hands pulled back by restraints. In a distance, she could've sworn she could hear Zack hiss, "Max!"   
Max's eyelids fluttered and fell back into hallucination.   
Lights. Painful lights. She was tied back into a chair again and something was being tucked into her system somehow. She could feel the effects. Lydecker's face hovered above her, the same hard, cold glare he always gave to them when they were younger. She tried to attack, but she was too worn out.  
She felt back asleep.  
She woke up once more to see that her vision was normal. She was no longer in the guinea pig room but was in the cell again, lying down on the bunker. She still felt slightly dizzy and her body was incredibly weak but she managed to turn to the cell's only window to see some light growing dim.  
"Uh..." she groaned.  
"Max?"  
She scowled and turned to see Zack at the next cell, his head pressed on the bars. He was extremely pale, his eyes red and a scar just visible at his right cheek. He was looking at her peculiar. "Z-Zack..." she murmured. "I'm...so...sorry..."  
"No, not right now Max," he said harshly. "Don't get all sentimental with me. If you had left Seattle when I told you to, we could've avoided all this. Now look at us. We're locked up and tortured slowly." He paused. "At least they aren't beating anything out of us...yet." He sighed, gasping in some pain.  
"Where's...Brin?" Max asked shortly.  
"Still in that butcher room," he said sadly.  
Max didn't say anything. He had a painful point; she should've left a long time ago. But she didn't. She was comfortable with her life in Seattle despite the low profile and all...and there was Logan. She couldn't leave the guy hanging around like dried goods. She couldn't bear it at all.  
Logan...  
"Do...you think...there's a way..."  
"Out? Highly unlikely," Zack snorted coldly. "The place is packed with soldiers from top to bottom, outside the door guarding us every single minute. No use; we're doomed here till we're either broken or dead." He sighed.  
Max swallowed dryly when some scuffling was heard. Zack jumped to the front of the cell, shaking the bars hard as a janitor hunched in, his materials squeaking behind him. Max watched with keen interest as he stopped in front of her cell, and hissed her over. She scurried to the front of the cell as Zack watched with interest.  
"Will you..." she began.  
"No...not me," the janitor responded, a tall oriental. "But someone will. A contact of mine. She'll get you and your siblings out of here. This is a note from her...for now you can only hold tight and hope that they get ready quickly...I gots to go...they're coming back with your sibling... may the good graces be with you..." He then squeaked away from the cells.  
Max stumbled back to the bunker as she sighed in exhaustion.  
"So, Miracle Boy got an idea, huh?" Zack mocked.  
"Zack," Max said exasperatedly. "Shut…up!"  
At the same time, the doors opened and two guards came in, dragging by the elbows a young girl into the cell to the left of Max. They unlocked the key and threw the limp body inside harshly towards the bunker before slamming the bars shut and trooping away.  
"Brin!" Zack and Max shouted in unison.   
The young girl moaned from where she lay.   
"Poor baby sister," Zack cooed from his cell before glaring coldly at the back of Max. "You better start praying that your Miracle Boy will come quicker otherwise we're as good as dead."  
  
"Mr. Cale?"  
Logan turned his head from the window to the door. It was downright pouring outside, the sky heavy gray and crying rain. For a moment, he thought that Max was standing at the door, but after a hard look, he saw that it was only Mugen.  
"Well?" he prompted.   
She nodded and approached him. "My contact should have talked to Max and them by now," she told him hoarsely, "with the message. Now, I am leaving again tonight to check out the facilities tonight, to ensure a route to get in and out. I have a rough idea of what to do, but we can't allow any slip-ups, now can we?"  
Logan nodded numbly. Understanding the movement, Mugen was about to turn around when Logan said, "How is it...where you live?"  
She stopped, paused for a considerable moment. "Not bad."  
"The Pulse---"  
"It wasn't as bad where I was raised," she responded immediately. "It wasn't like a third-world, but some parts were hit slightly more than others. But I was up north, where it's the freezing hell you wake up to every morning and never see light till noon." She shrugged.   
"Did you...have a good childhood?"  
"I don't think it's fair for me to say so," she responded crisply, walking about, her shoes making clicks as she stepped. "I don't know…rough. Solid. One road."  
"You're like Max."  
Mugen shook her head. "No, not like Max," she corrected. "I was...am not a genetic hybrid made for fighting or anything such. I was born an ordinary child, just like you. Normal human brain, normal bodily functions. Something came up."  
"What?" he asked, slowly interested.   
"I'm not sure if I should mention this at all," she said slowly, closing her eyes and leaning against the wall. "But this information might be vital to you if you wish to save this world from the coming catastrophe." She breathed in. "You see, Manticore has been trying to make the perfect killing machine, to protect the United States in case other countries would take advantage of this… state they're in. My parents found out about a secret project about making this thought a reality. They were enraged and tried to leave Manticore. The man you knew as Lydecker did not wish them to walk around in public with this information. During a so-called explosion at the lab, they..." She stopped before continuing. "Anyways, the project was a success. This hybrid is known solely as X-10, a really strong kind with capabilities far beyond the X-5."  
Logan was now in reality zone. "This isn't good."  
"I know," she agreed. "Their purpose was to hunt down the X-5 who escaped Manticore in 2009. But then things started brewing up, both politically and economically, and they began to be trained more as soldiers for military purposes. But a certain fraction is still out causing havoc for the other countries and such. That's why I volunteered to be enhanced by my guardians."  
"So, you can---"  
"Well, I'm not sure of the technical terms, really," she admitted sorely, wincing slightly. "Do lots of stuff, I suppose. That's why I need those files, Mr. Cale," she said ominously. "I want them burned or something before even more horrible creatures like those X10s are made."  
Logan nodded. "I see," he responded. "That could explain, well, a lot of things, really. Jumping out of the window, computer accessibility, contacts...if you're so smart, why are you still in school?" He cocked his head to a side, interested.  
"Besides a cover-up?" She shrugged. She didn't say anything else as she turned around, thinking. "I will leave tonight. Don't worry about it...tomorrow, if your legs are up to the challenge, we will get them back."  



	7. 

this chapter goes all out crazy now. back-stabbing, spying and bringing in the big guns...not to mention more trouble. i know, max isn't playing such a big role...but i have to write this! r&r!  
  
Chapter Seven  
It was pitch dark when Mugen returned to the facility. It wasn't hard this time around since she already had some experience with the men. But that wasn't the problem; the problem lay with the X-10. As much as she was enhanced to be a perfect match against them, she lacked the spine to kill them.  
They were alive, after all.  
Damn, I knew I was freaking holy at heart, she thought. I should have been raised a nun then.... heh heh...but then again, here I am, at the heart of a dangerous mission, ready to kill if necessary.... mental note; go to confession once this is over.   
She snuck through some bushes towards the farthest side of the fence possible where no one was guarding. She looked back and forth, using her special abilities to check the area. She knew that these men were extremely smart and that she could be surrounded in a moment's notice.  
There's always a risk involved, huh? she wondered.  
One, two three, jump!  
She leapt silently towards the chain fence and made her way up. She swung over the barbed wire without much of a problem as she did a somersault and landed silently on her feet, searching around, her hand gripped on her taser that sat at her side.  
Silence.  
Hmm, good enough. She slowly got up and quickly sprinted to the wall nearby, where a light was shining from the window, a good nine feet over her head. She looked up, estimating a way to get up there without a grunt. She then nodded and leaped, her feet defying gravity as she sped up. Her hands met the sides of the window's bars and pulled up.  
It was the window of a personal office..  
Lydecker was in there.  
Hmm, so this is the famous bastard's office....not bad for a front seat, she thought. At least I found it...nice situation in the complex, Let's listen closer... shall we? She squinted her eyes and used her stretch her mind power out to what they were talking about.  
"She is growing impatient, Deck..." said a black man.  
"I know," Lydecker said ominously.   
Mugen squinted. She?  
The black man blew out some air from the cigarette and threw the buts onto the ashtray, walking around. "She is not going to be one happy camper, Deck, you know that," he said. "Sure, you got three of the X5 members...but why can't you beat the others' hiding places out of them?" The last words came out as an angry shout.  
Lydecker spun around, glaring at him. "These things take time!" he shouted angrily. "You think I can just go and torture---" These words made Mugen shudder, "---them like they were nothing! They were like my children..."  
Children, like he knew what that was, Mugen thought.  
"Yah, well, I hope you do what you were meant to do," the dark stranger told him. "As for those X10s...the ones patrolling your perimeter? I was told that someone was examining the place some time ago and defeated one of your men...She knows, Deck, and she's coming in tomorrow...."  
"Damn!"  
"I know..."  
"Why did you tell her?" Lydecker demanded.  
"......"  
"I thought so...." Lydecker said, his fingers prying onto something on his desk, something Mugen couldn't see. Then he quickly spun around before she could react and pointed a state-of-the-art gun at the dark man's face. He stopped smoking. Lydecker smiled crudely, deceptively. "You think you can run off and stab me at the back without me knowing? You know me far better than that....you know that isn't...um, honourable."  
The black man narrowed his eyes. "She's coming, whether you like it or not...I suggest you prepare yourself for her wrath, Deck." He blew air out from his cigarette and towards Lydecker, making him scrunch his nose. He then turned and began to walk towards the door when he stopped and face Lydecker's confused face. "And Deck? Put away the gun...there's no use for that."  
Lydecker looked down at his gun, speechless.  
Mugen dropped down. Damn, their head was coming in tomorrow! What now? How will Logan and her sneak in without alerting any military jarheads, those creepy X10s, Lydecker and his supposedly pissed-off boss? It would be hard to sneak in and safely get Max and her "siblings" out without anyone noticing was going to be harder. And Mr. Cale just coming out of hospital...this was going to be tight.  
She slipped past the security and made her way back through the forest. If things got rough in there tomorrow, she would have to be armed with some heavy artillery....  
  
Max was looking at the ceiling, thinking.  
I wonder how Original Cindy is doing, she thought. I mean, I don't even know how long I've been gone...I hope she hasn't messed up the place while I was gone...how long have I been gone? It feels like forever...I wonder how Logan is doing...I hope he isn't taking things to hard on himself...  
She couldn't remember how long she had been inside the cells now. She couldn't recall how many sunrises and sunsets had passed by since she and her siblings were caught. Her mind was all jumbled from the drugs and the tortures.  
"Max."  
"What do you want now, Zack?"  
"Let's bail outta here."  
Max glared at Zack, who was still swollen from the tortures. He didn't look like a sight for sore eyes, but then again, so was she. "You are crazy if you even think so," she told him harshly. "If we follow what this contact of ours say, we'll live to see tomorrow. Besides, you think you can pass by those X10s?"  
"Where'd you hear that from?" Zack demanded, his eyes glaring.  
She sighed. He was just trying to be optimistic in the idea of escaping. In truth, she had conjured up some ideas, each one dismissed with reluctance. The men who had dragged Brin into her cell like a sack of nothing were X10s. They looked like the ones the professors used to scare them about, making them swear allegiance only to them or face the consequences. No questions.  
She shuddered slightly, remembering the past and trying hard not show Zack her weakness to the thought. No, she shouldn't make a fuss on her theories. Max jabbed a finger at the other cell, where Brin lay sleeping.  
"She could be hallucinating," Zack explained callously. "Besides, she hasn't talked since she had returned to the cell from the bastard of death. Now, I still say we go try and escape this hellhole. And I say, why we still have feet." He glared at her again, the anger and irony gleaming in his eyes.  
Max shot another glance at him, a fiercer one. "And I say, we will wait. You wanna die, go right ahead. I'm waiting for Logan and his friend." She looked away from his glare and settled back to looking at the ceiling in silence.  
Zack groaned. "By the time he gets here, we'll be dead."  
She looked at Brin, who was lying silently in her cot. She sighed heavily. Logan, whatever you're doing, hurry up, because we're dying inside here....  
  
"You're joking, right?"  
Mugen shook her head sadly as she finished packing her supplies into her knapsack. "Negative on that, Eyes Only," she told him gravely as she fixed the medical packs one more time and prepare the three cots for their incoming visitors later on that evening. A full day had passed since she had inspected the perimeter. "His boss is coming in today...well, she should be here right now."  
Logan sighed. "This is not good," he told her. "She's after me."  
"So I have heard."  
Noting the sarcasm, he said, "This is serious, Mugen! And I mean it! She's like, the head of Manticore or something and she's after my head for what I did, helping Max find her siblings and helping them escape. She considers me potential enemy....waitaminute, did you say she was coming in today to that branch? Max is in there!"  
She snapped a glance up at him. "No, duh!"  
Silence.  
She sighed, reaching into her pack again. "Are you sure you could do this?" she asked, more gently this time. "I mean, you just got out of the hospital and your operation was just been broken a week ago...you sure you can handle it? It might also break your cover as..."  
"I can handle it. What are you getting?"  
Mugen did not say anything. Instead, she reached in and revealed a silver gun, probably a taser, up-to-date, modern. Came with some bullets for extra charge. She loaded it and then pocketed it in her side, burying it under her cotton white t-shirt. Then she adjusted her gloves, fixed her hair, reached out for two things wrapped in velvet and tucked it under her bootlegs.   
Logan watched this transaction with strange curiosity. She was silent in her little doings as she loaded her taser, slipped it under her shirt, and did the same with two things wrapped with velvet under her pant legs and onto her boots. She was wearing black pants, white sleeveless shirt, black heels gray gloves that ran up to pass her elbow, and a long, sleeveless gray jacket...trench...whatever. She looked rich. She looked ready to kick ass.  
Why is it that the girls can appear to kick my ass?  
"Is all that---necessary?" he asked dryly.   
"It is."  
"You're expecting a big fight?"   
"When it comes to it."  
Logan blinked at her. She seemed suddenly calm and dead silent. Like she was going to face a clear summer day. He suddenly felt useless as he said, "So, what do you want me to do?"  
"Save your energy. You'll need it. We head out this evening."  
  
"Mr. Lydecker."  
"Madame."  
Blonde hair, big, bright eyes. She stepped out of her black car, her heels splashing onto the wet pavement. She walked straight up to him, ignoring the officers, her business suit tweed and cut in the face of the evening sky. Her face meant only one thing; business.  
In Lydecker's case, his ass.  
"What's your current situation?" she asked. Straight business.  
Lydecker straightened. Business is business. "Yes. They're inside. We're giving them time to recover before we..."  
"Why?"  
"Well, you see, they need to be healthy enough to..."  
"No excuses. Show me."  
"Um...yes, um, ma'am." He twirled around and guided his boss inside the structure. He felt a bottle of rage slowly beginning to over pour whenever she was around. Boy, did that woman make him ever made! She was thinly tolerant, a veiled-veiled patient woman with no sense of thought, only direction and order.   
Damn! he thought. Just my luck!  
They walked down the hallways silently, flanked by officers.   
"So...these are the X10s," Madame mused.  
"Yes."  
"Excellent structured-personas," she complimented. "Works good if we are to gather the rest of the X5s and that menacing Eyes Only persona. He is giving me the creeps now with all his free-world idealism. It's becoming so...nauseating."  
So are you. "Yes, ma'am. Here we are."  
He gestured the X10 soldiers aside and opened the door to find a janitor sweeping up the floors in front of the cells where Max, Brin and Zack lay, bored to death. She didn't seem to pleased at what she saw as Lydecker quickly scooped up the guy to the wall.  
"Have you conversed with the prisoners?" he demanded.   
"N-No," he stammered.  
Lydecker tightened his grip. "Are you sure?!?!?"  
"Yes! I swear it!"  
Lydecker threw him aside, making him stumble and fall to the ground. "Beat it! Before I change my mind!" Lydecker shouted, making the janitor stumble to his feet and run to the exit, pass her.   
She looked at him. "No need to be harsh. It's just a janitor."  
Lydecker stared at Max, who was now up and about. "Max. Child."  
"I am not your child."  
"Funny, I always considered you were," he countered.  
Now Zack was up as well. "Well, forget about it."  
Lydecker pretended to be hurt. It was all a game; a game of insults. In the end, he would win and they would be---well, he didn't know yet. At the corner of his eyes, he could see that she was pretty amused there. Funny. Hah hah. What about a punch into your smeary face? He cleared his throat. "Well, I suppose you met..."  
Max's eyes narrowed. "You."  
She blinked, mockingly. "What about me?"  
Max was ready to leap at her if it weren't for the bars. Her hands were past the bars, trying to swipe the boss with pitiful attempts. She felt raged. "You son of a bitch! You were the one who initiated the program that created us!"  
"Don't try to kill me, it's no use," She quipped coolly. "So maybe I did---what's your point?"  
Max fell silent, but the rage never left her eyes.   
Zack stared at her silently, dead cold. "What do you want?"  
Lydecker batted his eyes at Zack. "Why, what else?"  
"If you're asking for our siblings, the answer is no."  
Lydecker sighed. "Ahh, too bad, we could've---"  
Boom!  
"What the hell was that?!" She asked.  
"What's going on? Men, check it out!"  
  
Mugen smiled. "Phase One, completed."  
Logan raised a brow. "So soon?"  
"Mr. Cale, I work very, very fast."  
"Um, right...."  
"Let's go," she said, checking her weapons for the last time before getting out of Logan's car, through the passenger section. Logan did the same thing as they walked carefully to the same chain-linked fence that Mugen crossed the night before.  
Logan was now gloating at the barbwire.  
Mugen rolled her eyes. "You can do it."  
"No...I can't."  
She glared at him. "I will throw you across, if I must," she declared defiantly. "Mind you, I am as strong as those jar headed X10s, y'know. So don't start with me. As I said, you can get over that. You don't need to be a super genetically-enhanced being to do so."   
"Heh, easy for you to say," Logan responded dryly. "I'm the one who was in the hospital a little while ago, remember? And besides, how can I come over again if I'll have Max and someone else on my shoulders or somethin'?"  
"Don't worry, I have an idea," she assured.   
Logan rolled his eyes. "Does this involve flying?"  
She glared at him, dead serious.   
"I guess not," he said faintly as he watched Mugen leap onto the chained fence and up she went, no hassle, and over the barbed wire without any difficulty. Logan gulped; how can he get over the blasted thing without looking like a fool in front of this...of this...kid?!  
Mugen shrugged. "You're turn...and make it spiffy. Time's ticking."  
"Right." He sighed, prayed to God and started his way up the chain link. It wasn't so bad, he thought, considered it happens to be like a fourteen-foot chain-link fence. He sighed. This was not in the job description, he thought.   
He was faced with the barbed wire. "I can't do that!"  
Mugen groaned. "C'mon, we don't have all year, y'know!"  
He breathed in deeply. This is it, Logan, he thought. The hour to show your manly hood has just arrived. Don't screw up. He then nodded and then prepared for a leap, buckling his knees and then taking a dive to the other side.   
Slash! There went the brand new t-shirt.   
Rip! There went the sleeve.  
Logan fell down flat onto the ground, with a loud thud and a groan.  
Mugen hovered over Logan's crushed face that was on its side on the grass, blinking like a fool. She scowled slightly, he eyes lit with a faint amusement. "Y'know," she said, "once this is over, you will be going to a gym---right?"  
"Great, I've been made a fool by a child."  
"Not any ordinary child," she countered coolly. "Not, enough chit chat. You'll thank me later for this. Now put on the hoods; we must now play the kidnappers. Let's go."  
  
Boom! Boom! Boom!  
"What the hell is this, Lydecker? Answer me!" Madame X shouted.  
"I will explain when we get you to a safer location, Madame," he said breathlessly as he dragged the enraged boss over to a safer location in the complex. He sighed; how could something so right go to oh-so wrong? He was about to find out.   
Boom! Boom! Boom!  
"What the f---" Madame X cried but was cut off by Lydecker.  
"Men, check the perimeter, stat!"  
Madame X glared at Lydecker. "Once...this is over, I will have you note of all this, Mister." She was now gasping for breath; she obviously hadn't done a lot of weight and cardiovascular training. "Do you think it is...wise...to leave the X5 lying there in the cells?"  
"I have the X10 units guarding their unit," he told her. "Besides, the drugs are too stiff for them to try anything foolish." He looked around. "This is crazy! What kind of idiot would try and do this? I mean, this is insane!"   
"Eyes...Only..."  
"Ma'am?"  
She was cut off again by another explosion right beside her that knocked the breath out of all of them. Madame X fell to the ground, her arms flaring and covering her head as Lydecker took a lying stance on the ground as the explosion popped their eardrums.   
Lydecker was close to going insane. The explosions were driving him insane. Was some fraction of the military going against them? Or some rebel citizens giving an example to the sloppy and up-tight government? Something was going on, and he could feel it under his nose. Suspicions...it wasn't something new.   
"Lydecker..."  
Right now, he was in so much trouble with his boss, he could hear his gravestone calling.   



	8. 

The madness continues. r&r!  
  
Chapter Eight  
"What was that about?" Brin asked softly from her cell.  
Max was sitting up now, examining the area and trying to break the steel bars. She turned back to Brin, rubbing her sore knuckles. "I don't know, Brin," she replied carefully. "Those explosions don't sound like testing...they sound pretty real from here."  
Zack perched up from his cot and leaned over to look at his siblings. "Well," he said, "if you want my opinion, it is real. Who it is? I don't know. But if there is a God out there, I think he just sent an angel to disrupt them and help us escape!"  
"I didn't know you believed in God," Brin murmured.   
Max said nothing as she studied the steel bars carefully. "As much as I'd like to escape," she said tersely, "I can't. I'm too weak. Or maybe the bars are too strong...either way, something is wrong and I don't even know what the hell it is!" She slammed her bolted fist on the floor in frustration.   
Zack was now confused as he tried to twist the bars with all his might. But as much as he groaned and squirmed, nothing was happening except getting red hands. He shouted in absolute frustration as he said, "Dammit! The drugs! They must've injected something to suppress our abilities down squat!" He groaned. "So much for having angels if you got devils running around and knowing where to hit you!"  
"So much for believing," Brin said sadly.   
Max sighed, thinking, I wish that I never took that message seriously. I could be in my apartment right now talking to Original Cindy or maybe at Logan's place   
Suddenly, the door bursted open and two people looked in. They were clad in black, one taller than the other. The tall one was in a leather jacket with matching gloves and dark, dark pants wearing glasses under the cover. The shorter one was wearing a trench to the floor with cut off sleeves and gray gloves with holes for the fingers and ran up to her mid-bicep. The person's head was covered by a hood, and not much was shown beneath and was dressed in the same persona as their companion.  
Max went into stance. Were these two X10s? She was going to find out soon enough.  
"Who are you?" Brin asked desperately.  
Max and Zack glared silence at her, military training in effect.  
Brin fell silent.  
The short one nodded. "Don't worry, we'll get you out of this ruckas," the short one said, clearly a female by the voice, but strangely gruff. Was this person only a child or someone with a strangely childish voice? She would find out soon enough. The short one headed towards Zack's cell and took out something. "Hey, help me with the locks."  
The second one grunted but followed, starting with Max's.   
"Damn, these are hard," the young one groaned. "Y'think that they can loosen but locks for once in their miserable lives."  
"Maybe if you don't complain as much, we'd be out," Zack said.  
The short one glared at him, despite the fact that he couldn't see her face, her eyes. "Hey, watch it, you heap of hunk," she snapped harshly, thinly, "otherwise you can stay right where you are, at the mercy of those bastards outside that's gonna go after us in five minutes. So zip it."  
Zack was stunned as she unhooked the lock.  
"Okay, I got the other two," the other person finally said.   
Max and Brin got out of their cells and quickly embraced before Max looked at the older person. That voice is so familiar---"Logan?" she asked uncertainly.  
The person looked at her, straight at the eyes. Although the glare was sort of painful to look, she looked into the person's eyes. Yes, she recognized them, all too painfully clear. Yes, it was he! It was Logan! "We better move it," he stated gently.  
Bullets hammered into the wall.  
"Damn!" the short girl swore. "They must've figured that the explosions were a diversion....or somethin. Damn, damn, damn!" Her hands went to her belt immediately and she took out the taser that she was polishing earlier.   
"You're not serious!" Brin rasped.  
"Sorry, but I am," she stated simply as she clicked the capsule, loading the bullets in them. She then looked at the disguised Logan, though her pupils were nowhere visible. "I want you guys to start running when I start shooting, and don't look back."  
Max shook her head. "I'm staying behind," she told them.  
"Max!" Zack scolded.   
She locked glares with him. "They're X10s," she declared. "How the hell do you think you can achieve distracting them enough for all five of us to escape?" She then looked down at the short one. "I think there's a bit too many for you to handle."  
The short one did not blow off her top, and it was interesting since she nearly fragged out Zack just a few moments on something that wasn't even important. "A bit too much?" she mimicked. "I think not. Besides, you haven't seen be battle yet." She turned back to her gun, walked over to the left side of the door for a moment as the firing continued. "Here we go...one...two...three!"  
She kicked open the door at full blast and began shooting with her taser. Logan grabbed Brin and Max's wrists and started dragging them out the door, ducking and running with Zack behind. The strange part was that the short one was shooting the guns off their hands, one by one. Logan produced his own gun from his side and shot two guards guarding the end of the corridor. They hid at the end turn.  
Now the short one was out, her hood down to reveal her pale white skin, her dark raven hair and a pair of shades so no one could see her eyes. Max gaped; that was the girl that crashed into Logan's place a while back. She watched as she set in motion a series of flying kicks, punches and bruises on the X10s. the soldiers plummeted to the wall. What got her was how she did not get a single scratch from these updated models...odd.  
She looked at them. "What are you waiting for? Run!"  
She followed them out, her gun still at hand, as they rushed through corridors. Logan headed the pack, but was beginning to slow down because Max and Brin were hanging back, their steps growing weaker at every moment. Zack was also beginning to slow down.  
"Max? Max!" Logan cried.   
"It's no use, Mr. Cale," Mugen said softly, catching Zack before her cluttered the floor and dragging him up to his feet. "I've seen this before...they must've injected the drug that makes a person's capabilities down to nothing. It's extremely effective with enhanced soldiers."  
"How do you know all this?"  
"As I said, I've seen this happen before," she stated simply. "This is going to be harder than I thought...hurry. We must get out before they realize that their unit down where the cells were and send in reinforcements. This way---we must hurry." She lead Logan down the other hallway, taser out and dragging the drowsy Zack along.   
Logan felt his arms pinned back as he carried the two girls down the hall behind Mugen. He felt Max groan as they were running in such a quick pace. Logan tried hard not to move so instantaneously so she wouldn't have to moan as much. At least Brin wasn't going sick on his inability to run. "Logan," she murmured. "Logan, I…"  
"Shh," he hushed her. "Don't say…anything."  
"Logan, I'm sorry," she murmured anyways.   
Logan looked down at her, baffled. "For what?"  
"For…getting you into a mess like this…I didn't know…"  
"Yah, you didn't know," he assured. "Now, stay still and keep quiet…we're almost out of this hellhole."  
"X10s…"  
"Don't worry, Mugen will take care..."  
Mugen gasped. "Logan, stay back! We've got company!" She slammed onto a sidewall where it shielded them from the incoming X10 soldiers, dressed in their drab black uniforms and carrying guns. Mugen swore again. "Damn, damn, damn!"  
She lifted her taser. "Just start firing!"  
"Right!" He took out his own gun and they both started firing. Pow, pow, pow! The steel bullets knocked the X10 soldiers at their shoulders, they knees, their thighs, their arms. The funny thing was that they were still standing, and still firing, but a lot more pissed. Mugen was pretty crafty though; she was shooting down their weapons. After all their weapons clattered to the floor, she motioned Logan to stop shooting and stay back before dropping the silent Zack as she charged towards the remaining X10s who were standing.   
Sidekick, front kick, right punch. Down they went.   
"Behind you!" Logan cried but it appeared she had it already covered. She ran towards the wall, climbed it with what seemed to be defying gravity, somersaulted behind the X10, ducked down and knocked him off his feet. She then turned, launched a flying kick and knocked another senselessly to the ground.   
Two remaining X10 soldiers, ready to make the kill. She then reached down to her bootlegs and revealed the two slim sticks wrapped in velvet. Only they weren't sticks, but very slim daggers, shiny and ready to kick some X10 ass.   
The first one launched his assault with a very sloppy punch. What's this? Mugen asked herself as she blocked the punch, ducked down and elbowed him at the belly and still holding her daggers out. The soldier groaned; she must've hit him hard enough when she then swung her foot out and dropped him to the floor.   
The second one was disgusted at the first one's mistake as she revealed two knives of her own. Mugen tilted her head to one side, adjusting her focus and examining the weapons the second one carried. The second one charged with not much as a sweat but Mugen was as cool as rain. They flung their weapons out and they met with an extraordinary clank.   
Mugen released the grasp and then swung her dagger out. The second one swung back and then straightened her dagger in a stabbing mode. Mugen went out of her way and then turned and kicked the dagger out of her left hand before kicking again and the second dagger went flying. Seeing that the second one was going to catch it, she kicked the soldier again as the dagger fell harmlessly to the floor with a clank.   
"You bi---" she spewed.  
"Where are your manners?" Mugen asked as she twirled and kicked her again. "Maybe I should imprint some in your brain! Oh, I forgot, you're too busy analysing information through your brain of who I am and how to defeat me to even think about your manners!" She then finished her off with a side punch that knocked her to the floor.  
"We better get moving," she told them as she recollected Zack from the floor and continuing their way down the corridor, through the battlefield of fallen X10s.  
Wonders cease to amaze, Logan thought.   
  
"The explosions seemed to have stopped," Madame X said slowly, trying not to jinx the moment.  
If you wish not to jinx the moment, you wouldn't talk, Lydecker thought ruefully as they got to their feet. Rumble from the ceiling and the walls were on the ground as he, his pissed-off boss and some of their guards were covered in dust and dirt. "I want a full explanation of all this," he started when the comm system of one of the soldiers sounded.  
"Well?" Lydecker asked after he was done.  
"The prisoners, sir, the X5s? They've escaped."  
That struck Lydecker like a thunderbolt. Of course! Why didn't he see that before? It was a diversion so they would be more worried about the safety of the compound than the prisoners. And now there would be hell to pay. "What?! How?"  
"Two people broke in during the explosions…"  
"And the soldiers, the X10s? Did they stop them?"  
The soldier wheezed. "Um…well, they're all headed to the infirmary. Sir."  
Damn! "How?" he asked himself.  
Madame X heard the entire conversation as she got to her feet, brushing off the dust and dirt. "How can that be? The X10s were the most top of the line! No one can defeat them!" she finished off, both surprised and confused.   
"By the looks of their wounds, ma'am," the soldier said dryly, yet full of fear for his dear life, "they were beaten up pretty badly. They told us that they were beaten by a mere girl."  
"Max…" Lydecker grumbled.   
"Lydecker?" Madame X demanded.   
Lydecker shook his head. "Never mind," he told her tersely. To the soldiers, he said, "Call for immediately reinforcements. Secure the perimeter. Nobody gets in or out without going through security fir---"  
The klaxon sounded.   
"What the hell?" Madame X demanded.  
"Dammit! Someone accessed the perimeter!" Lydecker said.  
"I'm on it!" the soldier said, summoning another few soldiers out to the hallways and towards the frontlines once again.   
"Lydecker…you need some explaining to do…" Madame X grumbled.   
Lydecker did not say anything as he loaded his gun and ran out the door with the remaining soldiers to the frontlines. Those X5s, he thought, always causing trouble. At this rate, I'll have gray hair. You think I don't have enough to deal with…nonetheless…  



	9. 

the final installment. so short a story, huh? well, i hope the questions were answered...to a certain degree. don't be surprised to see a sequel coming up in the future. r&r!  
  
Chapter Nine  
"Hurry up, Mugen!" Logan hissed.   
Mugen was now back at the fence. Climbing it was out of the question since they had unconscious passengers with them and Logan was too tired to actually push over the fence. She was holding the daggers in her hand, her taser mounted on her waistline as she sliced through the chain-link fence.  
"Damn, damn, damn," he muttered. He thought about how his life went from the dull day-to-day episode to the colourful and lively episodes where his life was constantly in danger. How he wished to be at his apartment right now, doing normal stuff such as being the all-knowing Eyes Only…  
He looked down at Max. Maybe life wasn't so bad.   
Footsteps.  
"We've got company!" she told him.  
She was right; soldiers dressed in black were starting to become visible. He took out his gun, rolled in some empty cartridge boxes that were lying around for protection was Mugen continued to cut through the chain-link. He aimed; he fired. "Hurry up!"  
"Stop! Freeze!" one of the soldiers shouted.   
Amoung them, there he stood.  
"Dammit, Lydecker's amoung them!" Logan groaned.  
That made Mugen extremely tense. "He's here? In the crowd? Just what we need…" She sliced in quickly to make a rectangle big enough for them to crawl across. "Logan, go through. I'll deal with shooting. Drag each of them one by one across."  
"Right." He got down onto his fours and squirmed his way across. The sharp ends of the chain-link where she cut was painful to his back, but he go through, enduring a couple of cuts. He turned to see Mugen firing their weapons down. He reached out, took Brin and pulled her across. Since she seemed younger than the other X5s, she was easier to pull in first. Then he pulled Max across, which didn't take much.   
Zack took a while.  
"Mugen, come on!" Logan said. No need to be quiet now.  
"Load them into the van, Logan! No questions asked!"  
He sighed and followed through with her, no questions asked. He carried Brin and Max first to the van, which was hidden in the closure of woods, opened the hatch at the back and placed both Brin and Max in. He then returned ad dragged the body of Zack and placed him beside his siblings.   
"Okay! Now come along!"  
Mugen looked at the enemy again, her gun ready. Ten loads left. She used up half the ammunition necessary to complete the mission. A minor miscalculation, but nonetheless…oh, crap, Lydecker saw her. Glared straight into his eyes.   
Flashback. A young man was holding her while he talked to his parents. Oh, how they were happy back then…Lydecker…why was it that the name always made her shiver yet recognize him all the same? What was the dealio there anyways? It was as though he knew the guy, yet she never met him before…she started to squat and turn to a different position, towards the opening.  
"The kid's getting away!" a soldier yelled.  
Lydecker scowled. "Can you get an image?"  
Mugen swung on her hood and, still clutching her gun, she sprawled across the little entrance she had made and out upon the dirt. She heard the soldier start running, gunshots slamming into the cartridge that Logan placed as a temporary shield. Without warning, she turned shot five rounds before sprinting into the forest. A few moments later, an engine was gunned operational and the sound of a van fleeing was heard.   
"We lost them, sir," the soldier said.   
Lydecker cursed before motioning all the soldiers back into the compound. He shrugged and looked where the trees were, where the car once was. Damn, right when I had them at my fingertips, he mused, they get away again. And they have accomplices this time…I will find them. And next time…they won't get away that easily…  
  
"Yee-haw!"  
The car plummeted down the dirt road of the forest area towards Seattle once again. Logan was driving like a madman who'd just been cured, yelping for joy and achievement, and Mugen beside him, bumping along.  
She looked back at the X5 siblings, who were sleeping now, and for a brief moment, was reminded of Lydecker, the head guy flanked amoung the X10s. "You know, that Lydecker guy," she said uneasily, sighing heavily. "Why is it that…every time I hear that name, it makes me so…uneasy?"  
He sighed. "Lydecker is Max's personal Anti-Christ," he explained. "He's the head of the program, who administers them. He's done a lot of bad things and you can say he isn't exactly the most pleasant man to be stuck with in a silent world…why?"  
"Oh, nothing," she responded immediately, covering up the fatal question. "Well, I'm glad that's over!" She smiled and uncoiled the tension that was in the base of her spine. "Say, Mr. Cale, now that this is all over…how about a nice trip to the gym?"  
Logan's face visibly recoiled the whole trip back.   
To Seattle.  
  
"Will they be alright?" Logan asked.  
Bling came threw away the plastic gloves and looked at his friend in the eye. "Yah, they should be," he replied. "They had quite a startle on the way out. But…they should be alright. They should be able to flush the drugs out of their system in no time…but, in the meantime, tell 'em not to do anything, er, physical, okay?"  
"That shouldn't be hard," Logan replied earnestly. "Except for Zack over there…it would be like asking a mule to go kick the other mule."  
Bling laughed. "Nice…um, simile."  
"Thanks, Bling. I'm glad you liked it."  
The door swung open and in came Mugen, carrying a large grocery bag on her arms. She was in her school uniform, the kilt a little short for a girl her age, her knapsack swinging from one of her shoulders. Her hair was up in a large clip. It's funny, how a girl like her could be such a supernatural fighting machine. Then again, the same thing applied to Max. "Hey Mr. Cale, Bling."  
"Hey, kiddo," Bling greeted.  
"Hello, Mugen. More groceries?" Logan asked.  
Mugen tried to hide a shy smile. "Hey, since you got an extra, what? Four mouths, I guessed you needed a little more food than usual." Before Logan could ask another question, she stated, "Don't worry, it's all charged on my account, aight?"  
"I suppose," Logan said in confusion.  
She walked up to them. "How are they?" she asked.  
It was a simple question, and Logan understood. He nodded. "Bling here says they should be up and about in no time."  
She smiled. "That's nice to here," she replied softly.   
Silence. "I'm sorry we didn't get to those files, Mugen," Logan said softly, remembering the original mission she was sent for. He felt a bit guilty for her going after his friends before her own mission.  
"It's okay. There's always tomorrow." She reached out and patted his shoulder, making Logan crane his head down in a baffled confusion of the gesture. "Don't worry, Mr. Cale, they're safe now."  



End file.
